Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20080427.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Romans: Charter Of Salvation Grace
Part VI: The Practical Application Of God's Spiritual Provisions To Living
G. Applying God's Biblical And Spiritual Provisions For Unity Among True Believers
(Romans 15:8-33)
  1. Introduction
    1. For the Apostle Paul, true, heartfelt spiritual unity among true Christians of widely different ethnic and religious heritage was not just a hope, but an attainable goal by way of God's spiritual provisions.
    2. In practical terms, Romans 15:8-33 reveals how such a Biblical unity is attained (as follows):
  2. Applying God's Biblical And Spiritual Provisions For Unity Among True Believers, Romans 15:8-33.
    1. Paul knew that his Romans 14:1-15:7 call could produce tension in his hearers: he had there called them as more mature saved Gentiles and Jews to forbear the Biblical ignorance of weak believers fresh out of Judaism. This would inflame natural divisions between Jews and Gentiles if not spiritually heeded!
    2. Thus, Paul impressed his readers to keep such unity, appealing to (1) Scripture and (2) empowering by God's indwelling Holy Spirit as (3) exampled in his own Christian walk (as follows), Romans 15:8-33:
      1. Paul referred to the Biblical prediction of unity between Jews and Gentiles in God's plan as predicted in the Old Testament in an effort to show the will of God called them to such unity, Romans 15:8-12:
        1. Paul revealed that Scripture taught Christ had become a servant to the circumcised Jewish people to show God was true in confirming His promises to the Hebrew patriarchs, Romans 15:8.
        2. Yet, he added that God had planned to save the Gentiles in grace as he fulfilled those promises that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy unto them, Romans 15:9a. This mercy was Biblically predicted, and Paul cited 2 Samuel 22:50 at Romans 15:9b, Deuteronomy 32:43 at Romans 15:10, Psalm 117:1 at Romans 15:11 and Isaiah 11:10 in Romans 15:12 as Biblical proof of this truth.
      2. Paul then urged his readers to apply all he had taught them on the Holy Spirit's control of their behavior (in Romans 8-11) to be filled with joy and peace in believing these Scriptures so that they might abound in hope of the coming blessed messianic kingdom, staying unified in Christ, Romans 15:13!
      3. The Apostle added his assurance that his readers were mature enough to admonish one another in the proper views and relationships of unity, but added he was boldly reminding them of this directive due to his calling to minister for the discipling of Gentiles into the family of God, Romans 15:14-17.
      4. Paul then motivated his readers to heed his directive, reporting how this teaching had been extensively applied in his own life and ministry as an apostle (as follows), Romans 15:18-33:
        1. Paul reported how God had equipped him to evangelize whole regions of Gentiles, Rom. 15:18-21.
        2. He added that this ministry had so occupied his time that it had been the cause of his failing to meet with his readers in Rome, Romans 15:22. However, since he had so fully evangelized his realm, he hoped to meet his readers and be blessed by them as he continued onward to Spain to evangelize the nations west of Rome, Romans 15:23-24.
        3. However, before reaching Rome, Paul felt obliged to minister to the other part of God's flock, to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, by giving them gifts from Gentile converts that the Gentiles owed the Jews for having given them the Gospel, Rom. 15:25-27. This work that exemplified his call for unity among Jewish and Gentile converts was thus extensively applied in Paul's own life, 15:28-29.
        4. Accordingly, Paul asked his readers in Rome to strive in unity in his behalf by their intercessory prayers that he would be delivered from unsaved, godless men in Judaea so he could give the offering to the Jerusalem believers and be on his way to visit his readers, Romans 15:30-33.
Lesson: Paul urged Jewish and Gentile Christians to rely on the indwelling Holy Spirit to HEED God's BIBLICAL plan to be UNIFIED in forbearing weak, new converts from Judaism, and he EXAMPLED this directive, referring to extensive efforts of his own to UNITE Jews and Gentiles IN CHRIST!

Application: May we TRUST that TRUE SPIRITUAL UNITY is POSSIBLE within the body of Christ regardless of DEEPLY DIFFERENT religious or ethnic heritage, and all by HEEDING BIBLICAL directives to that end by the POWER of the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT as was SEEN in PAUL'S LIFE!